Age is Just a Number
by lozzylaur
Summary: On paper Charlie and Brax are the perfect couple, but is all as it seems and how will they cope with what life throws at them?
1. Chapter 1

_Ok, so this is my new fic. I have been trying to write a sequal to Good Meets Bad but am stuck for ideas. I've had this idea for a while but have final decided to write it. _

_I have played about with ages for this so Brax is older than Charlie. There will be some current and some old characters. Sadly for all you Ruby and Casey fans they wont be together in this but they will play a main part. _

_Hope you all like it, please read and review so I know whether to contiue or not. Also, i don't understand the ratings so if anyone wants to explain them to me, or thinks this is the wrong rating them please let me no and I will sort it out. Thanks. :)_

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><p>'Brax.' Charlie moaned as she hit her sleeping boyfriend round the head with a pillow.<p>

'Mmmm' cam Brax's reply much to Charlie's increasing annoyance.

'Wake up.' She yelled as she continued to hit him around the head 'I need to go, you need to look after the kids.'

'Bring them in here; they can play while I sleep.' Brax replied with his eyes shut.

Charlie sighed, giving up trying to wake him. She felt bad, he had been working till three to make money to pay the rent. It was now only half seven in the morning and as much as she wanted to let him sleep, she needed to go and she needed him to look after the kids. As she walked into the youngest children's room she smiled to see them both stood up in their cots making noises at each other.

'Well what are you two doing this morning then?' Charlie asked with a smile on her face. 'Should we go see if we can get your lazy daddy out of bed?' Charlie asked her little girl.

Ruby was seven months old and just learning to walk. She was Charlie and Brax's only child and the reason they both worked as many hours as they could, to give her everything she could ever want.

Charlie picked Ruby up and put her down on the floor knowing since she learnt to walk she hated to be carried anywhere. Charlie then walked over to Casey's cot and picked him up to. Casey was just over one and in all ways apart from blood related Ruby's big brother. Casey was Brax's little brother, who came to live with the two of them when he was six months old. Their mother was more interested in pokies and booze than her children. Brax had taken matters into his own hands when he had got a phone call of the middle Braxton, Heath saying he was looking after Casey and couldn't get him to stop crying. Brax had gone round immediately, packed their bags and brought the both to live with himself and Charlie.

At the time Charlie was furious with him, she had a one month old baby and they were barely coping with that, now they had a seven month old and a twelve year old to look after. Six months later and she couldn't imagine her life without any of the Braxton's. According to most people her life was a mess but in Charlie's eyes it was perfect and she wouldn't change a thing.

With Ruby and Casey safely under Brax's supervision once he reluctantly woke up. Charlie took a deep breath before she knocked on the door knowing she would not get a happy response from the only member of the family still sleeping.

'Go away.' came an angry voice from the other side of the door.

'Heath, come on you need to get up and get ready for school.' Charlie tried to reason with the young boy like she did every morning.

'No, I'm not going.'

'Heath you know you have to go, get up now because you know there will be trouble if Brax has to get you up.' Charlie sighed, she hated using his big brother as a threat but she knew it was the only thing that would get him out of bed.

'Can we get coffee on the way?' Heath asked already knowing the answer.

'Of course, like we do every morning. Now get up before you make us both late.' Charlie answered before heading down stairs to make various drinks and breakfasts for the three staying home.

At half eight Heath ran down the stairs knowing he was pushing it for time. Charlie smiled as she threw him his bag before picking up her own and shouting bye to the others.

The pair chatted all the way to the dinner were they got their morning coffee from. Charlie spent a few minutes chatting to the owner Irene while Heath waited outside for his friends to arrive. Collecting their coffee's Charlie left to join the younger boy and wait for the usual gang to all walk to school together.

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><p><em>Next time, Charlie has a well deserved girly night...<em>


	2. Chapter 2

_I hope you all like this chapter, hopefully it's a bit of fun. The next couple of chapters are going to be fun before you get to see the serious side of Charlie and Brax and a bit more drama will be added. _

_Please read and review. Thanks :) _

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><p>Charlie walked in the house after another day at school, after throwing her bag down on the table she read the note telling her Brax and the kids had gone down to the beach for a bit. She debated getting changed out of her uniform but the excitement of seeing her three favourite people was too much so she ran out of the house down to the beach.<p>

'Oi, sexy.' Charlie shouted as she saw her boyfriend walking out of the sea following the children.

Brax smiled as Charlie jumped into his arms. Their kiss soon turned passionate but was quickly interrupted by small coughing noise. They broke apart to see Ruby and Casey innocently looking up at them.

Charlie jumped down from Brax and pick up Casey under one arm and Ruby under the other. Brax sat on the beach and laughed and the three of them played in the sea. He was brought out of his thoughts by the tutting of Colleen Smart, the local gossip. Most people in the small town where they lived had been surprised when Charlie and Brax had started seeing each other and even more shocked when at fifteen and sixteen they told everyone they were having a baby. Although initially worried about how they would cope especially when Charlie was kicked by her father all they residents of Summer Bay soon realised they were brilliant parents. Someone who had never come round to their relationship was Colleen.

'Hey babe.' Charlie smiled as she sat down next to Brax, her uniform now soaking.

'Hey, have fun?' Brax smiled back, he loved her and the kids with all his heart. He knew how though things were for Charlie and it was everything for him to see her laughing and having fun.

'Yer, hopefully they'll sleep tonight.'

'You had a good day?' Brax asked, genuinely interested.

'Schools, school but there's not long left and if staying means being able to give my family everything in the future then that's what I'm going to do.'

When Charlie found out she was pregnant she had planned on dropping out of school and getting a job to help Brax with the bills. Brax however had insisted that she would stay on and get her HSC so she would make something of herself. Instead of working full time she worked as a cleaner for a couple of hours in the morning before school. Brax had reluctantly agreed to let her on the condition that she didn't work weekends.

'I bumped into Leah and Bianca earlier, they were saying there having a girly night tonight. You should go.' Brax asked knowing his girlfriend didn't get much time to have fun with her friends.

'What about the kids? You not working?' Charlie asked hoping he wouldn't suggest for her to go out without thinking it through first.

'No, am working the early shift tomorrow so you will have to get up early but tonight I'm looking after my beautiful daughter and little brother so my amazing girlfriend can go out and have fun with her friends like she deserves.' Brax replied smiling as Ruby came and sat on his knee.

'Thank you.' Was the only answer Charlie could think along with a forceful kiss.

'uck.' Came a little voice.

'Oh my god, did you just speak.' Charlie squealed picking up Casey and giving him lots of kisses which was followed by another, 'uck'

It was seven o'clock and Charlie walked down stairs to see the three boys and Ruby sat on the couch watching the footy game.

'I'm going now, all of you be good.' Charlie said, kissing Brax before walking to the door.

Charlie was stopped by a tugging on her leg, looking down she saw Ruby clutching to her. She picked her up and walked back over to the boys.

'You're going to stay here for with daddy, Heath and Casey while mummy goes out for a little while. I'll be back before you wake up in the morning. That alright baby.' Charlie spoke softly to the little girl.

Ruby shuck her head before starting to cry.

'Hey, what's those tears for.' Brax asked taking Ruby from Charlie.

'You go babe, we will be fine.' Brax spoke as Ruby cuddled into his chest.

Charlie knocked on the door and was almost immediately greeted by Leah opening the door.

'Charlie.' She squealed.

They walked into the front room of Leah's parent's house to be greeted by Bianca, Martha, Georgina and Nicole.

'Hey.' Charlie smiled at her friends. It had been a long time since she had spent time with them and she planned on making the most of it tonight.

Leah walked in with a bottle of vodka in one hand and a bottle of coke in the other. 'While the parent's are away, the kids shall play.' Leah laughed.

'Well I'm glad I brought this then.' Charlie replied pulling another bottle of vodka out of the bag.

'How did you get that?' Bianca asked knowing she couldn't have stolen it out of her parent's alcohol cabinet like Leah had done.

'Brax got it the other day so I borrowed it.' Charlie smiled.

The girls started the drinking and playing truth or dare.

'Let's play I've never.' Bianca announced after a few drinks and some rounds of truth or dare.

'Yer, good idea.' Replied all the girls apart from Charlie, 'No, I always end up drunker than everyone else when we play this.' Charlie moaned.

'I know, but you're so funny when you're drunk.' Martha smiled.

'Fine, but don't forget I know how to make sure you all have to drink.' Charlie smiled wickedly. The girls had played this game several times before and they all knew each other's secrets.

'Ok, I'll go first.' George smiled, the effects of the alcohol starting to take effect. 'I've never... gone skinny dipping.' George spoke laughing at her statement.

The rest of the girls rolled her eyes at her and drank the drink. Two months ago all the girls along with the boys, Brax, Roman, Jack, Miles, Hugo and Angelo went skinny dipping one night, it had been a private joke every since.

'Ok ok, I'm next.' Leah interrupted everyone's thought. She looked around at her friends trying to decide who she wanted to drink. 'I've never... had sex.' Leah spoke, she knew this would cause Bianca, Nicole and obviously Charlie to drink.

'Martha.' Everyone gasped as they watched her drink, Martha had wanted to tell her friends all night and this was the perfect opportunity.

'When?' George spoke first shocked by her friend's revelation. 'Who? What was it like?' the questioned from her friends continued.

Martha smiled before answering their question, 'Tuesday night, Jack had the house to himself and one thing led to another. It was amazing.' Martha's smile grew as she thought back to that night.

'Well be careful young lady or you'll end up knocked up like me.' Charlie joked.

'I'll be careful don't worry mum.' Martha replied sarcastically. 'Besides Rubes and Case are beautiful, Brax loves you, you're lucky.'

'I know, I love them all more than anything, but everything's so hard all the time. I miss not be able to spend time with you lot when I want. I miss not being able to do nothing, like tomorrow when you're all nursing your hangovers I'll be looking after two babies and a twelve year old and a lie in, I would kill for a lie in. I've forgotten what it feels like to sleep past seven.' Charlie sighed after her rant. She didn't want to seem ungrateful for what she had, her family was everything to her, she just wished sometimes she could be a typical fourteen year old.

'I've got a plan.' Leah spoke smiling at her idea.

'What?' Charlie asked reluctantly unsure of what her friend would suggest.

'We will all stay at your house tonight and then tomorrow we can all go to the beach, you can go for a surf, sunbathe. We will watch the kids and we can have a picnic or something.' Leah smiled as she finished thinking it was the best idea in the world. Looking around she saw all her friends nod in agreement and turn to look at Charlie.

'Are you all serious? Do you know what time Rubes and Case wake up in the morning?' Charlie asked, sure her friends weren't really serious.

'That's fine, we will look after them till you wake up, give you some rest.' Bianca added.

'I mean, we can sleep every other day of the week.' George smiled seeing how much it meant to her friend.

'Well if you're all sure then THANKS.' Charlie shouted, jumping on her friends.

The girls then carried on drinking not caring about how early they had to get up in the morning, just wanting to have fun now.

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><p><em>Next time... Charlie and girls take Ruby, Casey and Heath to the beach. <em>


	3. Chapter 3

_So heres the next chapter, am so sorry about taking forever to upload been super busy. Heres a long chapter to make up for it if anyones still interested in reading it that is. _

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><p>It was three in the morning when the girls got to Charlie's and they were pretty drunk.<p>

'Shhh,' they all said to each making far too much noise.

'Brax is going to kill us.' Laughed Leah.

'Brax is going to kill me.' Charlie clarified laughing with her friends.

'Brax could never kill any of you, especially not you Charlie.' Came a voice from the door causing all the girls to scream in fright. 'Sorry did I scare you?' Brax added laughing at the drunken girls.

'Baby, you know I love you don't you.' Charlie spoke before jumping into Brax's arms and kissing him passionately.

'I love you to.' Brax replied before putting a drunken Charlie's feet back on the ground. 'Why are you lot making beds in my front room?' Brax asked laughing as the girls tried to make beds out of cushions.

'Were going to the beach tomorrow.' Leah shouted from the armchair in the corner.

'Yer, and were going to give Charlie a lie-in in the morning.' Added Martha from the floor.

'So bring the kids down here when they wake you up and we will look after them till Charlie wakes up.' Piped up Nicole from the sofa she was sharing with Bianca.

'That's very kind of you, I will remind you of this when I'm waking you all up at seven with two hyper kids.' Brax laughed knowing they wouldn't be so enthusiastic in the morning.

'We will be fine, the kids are awesome, how hard can it be?' shouted George as loud as the rest, from her home made bed on the floor.

'Well you will see in the morning wont you.' Brax smiled. 'Oh and can you keep the noise down.'

Brax smiled as he looked down to see his girlfriend sleeping peacefully on the sofa with Nicole and Bianca's leg on top of her. The girls all felt a twinge of jealously and they watched Brax lovingly pick up a sleeping Charlie bridal style. They all knew that no matter how much Charlie moaned to them her and Brax were deeply in love.

_The morning after the night before..._

Brax woke up at half seven to sleeping Charlie, carefully getting out of bed without waking her he went in to check on Ruby and Casey. He found them both happily playing in their cots so left without them seeing him. He knew that the girls were serious last night about looking after them and leaving Charlie to sleep but he also knew they would need as much sleep as they can get themselves.

He showered and dressed before taking Ruby on one hip and Casey on the other. He carried them downstairs whilst talking to them quietly. He placed the pair down on the floor in the front room while he worked out who would be the easiest and nicest to wake up. He figured if he woke one of them up they could wake everyone else up and he would be free. As Casey and Ruby ran around they started to crawl on Martha, realising he had gotten out of waking anyone up he went into the kitchen to make some pancakes and coffee for everyone.

'Wow, you weren't joking about them being hyper in the morning were you?' Martha asked sleepily as the pair continued to climb over her.

'No that I wasn't.' Brax smiled, 'How's your head?'

'Not too bad, as long as I don't move.' Martha spoke quietly.

'Here.' Brax smiled slightly as he handed her a coffee and some painkillers. 'Think you might be needing these.'

'You think I should wake up the rest of them or not?' Martha asked once she had finally sat up.

'That's your call, I'm definitely glad I'm going to work though.' Martha smiled at him, 'Thanks for doing this, by the way. I know it means a lot to Charlie. I try to make things as easy for her as I can, but it's still really hard on her. It's great she has such good friends.' Brax added sincerely.

'No problem, Charlie's great, so are these two.' Martha said pointed at two mad children running around. 'I can't imagine how hard it must be for both of you. She's lucky though, she has something any one of us would kill for.' Martha spoke smiling gently at Brax.

'What's that then?' Brax asked, genuinely intrigued by what the girls were so jealous of.

'You, they way you look at each other, they way you are with her. Anyone can see how much love you have for each other. It's obvious how important your family is to you, especially Charlie.' Martha sighed at the thought of what her friend had.

Brax smiled at her answer, he never imagined either him or Charlie had anything for any of their friends to be jealous of. 'Thanks.'

'Listen I have to go, will you be alright with these, there's pancakes in the fridge for you all. They will probably want food in about an hour, and a bottle of milk each. The bottles are in the cupboard, there clean...'

'Brax,' Martha interrupted his rambling. 'We will be fine, if were desperate for something we will wake up Heath or Charlie.' Martha smiled.

'Ok, you sure. Tell Charlie I love her when she wakes up.' Brax smiled before kissing Ruby and Casey and leaving the house for a day at work.

'Right, let's wake up these lazy bums.' Martha said picking ruby up and placing her on Leah's knee before putting Casey on the sofa with Bianca and Nicole. She watched as the children woke up her sleeping friends while she woke up George who had slept through being jumped on several times.

'What's going on?' Leah asked sleepily while pulling Ruby into a big hug.

'Brax had to go to work and he didn't dare wake you so I thought I would wait till he left.'

'Omg, I think I got punched in the head last night.' Nicole interrupted the conversation while Bianca put Casey on the floor in the hope he would jump on George.

The girls had all been awake for an hour or so when Ruby started to cry. They had tried changing her, giving her a bottle, pulling funny faces to make her laugh. They had tried everything they could think of.

'I don't want to wake up Charlie but I don't know what else to do.' Leah spoke sadly, upset they couldn't give their friend the lie-in she deserved.

'Why don't we wake up Heath, he might know what to do?' Nicole replied feeling the same as  
>Leah.<p>

'Yer, that sounds like a good idea, of you go.' Bianca added smiling.

'Erm, no I'm not going to wake him up.' Nicole replied smiling. 'You are.'

'What, why me?' Bianca's smile disappeared; she didn't know if it was the thought of moving from the comfy sofa or the thought of waking up a twelve year old boy.

'He clearly fancies you, he won't be as angry if you wake him up.'

As Ruby's crying continued Bianca sighed before going to wake Heath up and ask for his advice. Heath was less than impressed at being woken up at the weekend but as it was Bianca his mood improved. Bianca explained they had tried everything and was losing patience as Heath went through all the things they had already done. Finally Heath came up with a sensible if not unwanted suggestion. 'She wants her mum, it always happens when Charlie's still asleep. She will be fine then she just starts to cry.'

'So what can we do?' Bianca asked hoping there was a solution that didn't involve waking a sleeping Charlie.

'You need to wake Charlie up, she would rather that than us letting Rubes cry till she wakes up on her own.'

'I was hoping you weren't going to say that.' Bianca sighed.

Bianca left Heath to get ready while she went to get an upset Ruby and take her to her sleeping mum.

'Hey,' Bianca spoke softly as Charlie woke up. 'She was upset, Heath said she wanted you. Sorry we didn't want to wake you.'

'It's fine.' Charlie smiled at her as Ruby cuddled into her chest. 'I'm surprised she stayed up this long. Would you mind taking her downstairs while I get dressed?'

Bianca looked shocked that Charlie wanted her to take Ruby away after she had just been crying for twenty minutes. 'Don't worry, she will be fine now.' Charlie smiled almost reading Bianca's mind.

'You going to go back downstairs with aunty Bianca?' Charlie asked the little girl softly who nodded happily.

Two hours later and everyone was showered, dressed and fed. The six girls, Heath, Casey and Ruby all headed to the beach. They all had their arms full of stuff, either toys for the kids, surf boards for Heath, Georgina and Nicole or food for everyone. Charlie walked behind carrying two buckets and spades along with several other plastic beach toys and some towels. She smiled at the way her friends and Heath were with the two young children. Bianca had Ruby on her shoulders while Martha had Casey on hers; the pair were running around on the grass causing the two toddlers to laugh hysterically.

The group spent the majority of the day at the beach. Due to the hangovers the girls were suffering from, they alternated between playing with the kids and sunbathing. They had been trying their best to give Charlie a break and some time to relax without having to worry about Ruby and Casey.

Leah was helping Ruby and Casey build a very large sandcastle, which the rest were sure Leah was enjoying more than Ruby and Casey. Charlie was laid on her front sleeping lightly when Heath came running out of the water after a surf. Spotting Charlie sleeping he picked up the kids bucket filling it with water before running down the beach. Before any of the girls realised what was happening Heath had tipped the bucket of cold water over Charlie's back causing her to jump up screaming.

'Heath I'm going to kill you.' Charlie screaming chasing Heath down the beach.

'You're going to have to catch me first.' Heath shouted back laughing.

'Maybe I will just poison your food or something.' Charlie shouted slowing down knowing full well he was much faster.

'Threatening a minor Miss Buckton?' came a voice from a hard body Charlie had run into causing her to fall over.

'Yer bro, I didn't do anything. Think she's finally lost it.' Replied Heath jogging over to the couple thinking he would be safe.

'He tipped cold water on me while I was sunbathing.' Charlie shouted from the floor.

'Is that so?' Brax asked turning to face Heath. Before the boy had a chance to realise what was happening Brax had him over his shoulder running towards the sea. Once the water was up to his waist he lifted Heath throwing him into the shallows.

Charlie walked back over to the girls and joined in on their conversation.

'What you all doing tonight then?' Charlie asked

'Sleeping.' Moaned Nicole and Leah at the same time.

'Yer same.' Agreed Martha, 'Think the lads are going having some drinks so Jack will be drunk.'

'Are they?' Asked Nicole 'Is Brax going?'

'He hasn't mentioned anything. Shit.' Charlie suddenly shouted.

'What's up?' asked a confused George.

'That bottle of vodka we he gave me, wasn't so much a present more me borrowing it. He was saving it for a night out. How am I going to replace it by tonight?' Charlie asked panicking what her boyfriend was going to say when he found out.

'He's going to kill you.' Came a voice from behind Charlie making her jump and begin rambling apologises and excuses. 'Babe, did you really think I would mind you taking it. I was going to offer it to you before I realised it was already gone. Besides I can get another one, I look eighteen.' He finished poking his tongue out at the girls.

'So you don't mine then?' Charlie asked before reaching up to give Brax a kiss.

'Of course I don't, why would I need it so desperately anyway?' Brax asked having not captured the first half of the conversation.

'Oh the lads are having a night out or something tonight. Thought you might like to take a bottle with you.'

'Yer I would, if I was going out tonight which I'm not.'

'Why not? It's been ages since you had fun with the lads.'

'I would rather spend the night with you though. It's not fair to leave you alone with the kids.'

'What you mean like it wasn't fair for me to leave you last night? Go out, have fun with your mates and you can spend all of tomorrow with me and the kids.' Replied Charlie sincerely hoping her boyfriend would go out and have some well over due fun.


End file.
